Passing Like a Shadow
by Demisexual-Consulting-Hunter
Summary: One man, passing through Harry's life, never detected, may have blazed a trail far larger than expected. Who was that mysterious man reading in the Leaky Cauldron, and what does he have to do with Harry Potter?


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Author's Note: I was inspired by a post on Tumblr that was originally posted by cosmicsyzygy. When it got reblogged to my dash I reblogged it from emerycatt, which is when I saw all the notes about how this guy made such an impression and jokes about who is he and how powerful he must be. I decided to give him a dramatic storyline.  
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter or anything about the post on Tumblr that inspired this fiction. Not stealing ideas, just playing with them.

There are many stories out there, with brave main characters and those who help them defeat their enemies.

But what about the stories no one knows? What about the people who are behind it all, working back in the shadows, making sure everything is set in motion.

That is who I am.

At the risk of this letter falling into the wrong hands, I will not reveal my name. You can think of me as whomever you like. The only thing I want you to worry about is that all is not how it appears.

I remember it was a perfectly clear night when a member of the Order flung open the pub door and announced that Lily and James Potter were found dead in their home.

I knew that night my time had come.

I was, and still am, part of a secret band of brothers and sisters whose sole job is to protect the children of the members of the Order of the Phoenix.

I was assigned to July. I knew that Frank and Alice Longbottom had given birth that month, as well as James and Lily Potter. I just had to wait and see which child Lord Voldemort went after first.

After I heard the child was alive, I told Sirius Black that he could have his bike back from me (I had been borrowing it) and that he had to lend it to Hagrid so the child could be protected.

After I Apparated to Dumbledore and informed him that my job had begun. He warned me to stay hidden, and speak of this to no one. He wished me luck and we both departed, he to Number 4, Private Drive, and me to my Headquarters to await further instructions.

The years passed and I waited for Harry Potter to reach the appropriate age when his letter would come in. Naturally I had not anticipated his Muggle family's influence. I met with Hagrid and told him that the family planned to leave for a shack in the middle of the night to hide from the bombardment of letters. He left to prepare and I positioned myself as a worker on the dock where they would depart.

I rented them the boat that carried Harry and his family to the small shack, where I knew Hagrid would take care of the rest.

I won't go into every detail of my guardianship of Harry. That would take much more ink than I can afford at the moment. I will highlight some of the main events at which I was present.

I was the man who collected the talking snake that informed me of Harry's whereabouts.

I was the man who planted the cat hair on Millicent Bulstrode's robes so that Harry could continue down the path to finding the Heir of Slytherin with limited friend interruption. (There are some things he had to discover for himself.)

I was sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, listening closely to Arthur Weasley tell Harry about Sirius Black.

I was the person who told people to begin evacuating the campsite at the World Cup when the Death Eaters arrived.

I was a scout for the Order of the Phoenix when Harry, Ron, and Hermione discovered them, passing information between Hogwarts and the Headquarters.

I was in the courtyard when Dumbledore fell, raising my wand with tears in my eyes.

I made myself useful at the Battle of Hogwarts, casting protective charms, healing the injured, carrying the fallen. Harry never noticed me.

And he never will. My job is complete. I protected him, and I am satisfied that I contributed even a little help.

In the organization I belong to you must not be seen. You must pass like a shadow through someone's life, leaving it a little better in your wake. I am not the only shadow.

We are everywhere. We are the people who pass through and say or do something indirectly that change a life. We are the hidden angels, the saviours, the behind-the-scenes workers.

I am a man who fills in the blank spots, someone who does not want to be noticed, who lives in secret and moves on constantly.

I am just passing through.


End file.
